M. Justin Byron

M. Justin Byron is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the UNC School of Medicine and an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Behavior at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. He holds a PhD in Social and Behavioral Sciences from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (2014) and an MHS in Behavioral Sciences and Health Education (2009), along with a BA from Boston College (2000). His research focuses on improving health communication to support public health policies, particularly in tobacco control and nicotine reduction strategies.

Key research areas include dual use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes, public perceptions of FDA policies (e.g., reduced nicotine cigarettes), and the effectiveness of health warnings and communication strategies. He has conducted studies in both high-income and middle-income countries like Indonesia, exploring policy implementation challenges and retailer compliance.

Notable awards include the Doctoral Special Project Research Award (2012) from Johns Hopkins and the Hopkins Sommer Scholarship (2009). His work emphasizes evidence-based communication to counteract public misconceptions about tobacco products and support policy changes.

Dr. Byron is affiliated with the Center for Regulatory Research on Tobacco Communication and collaborates on projects addressing global tobacco control. His research highlights the intersection of behavioral science, public health policy, and cross-cultural implementation challenges.